New software package scans data directly into Microsoft applications
A new automated
data collection software package available from Southampton-based
Kendata Peripherals
enables data to be scanned from paper forms directly into an
Excel spreadsheet or Access database without the need for cumbersome
data exporting procedures.
Known as AutoData
Scannable Office, the new software is closely integrated
with the Microsoft Office suite and takes advantage of users’
familiarity with this environment to greatly reduce the learning
curve. It is ideal for any data collection application that
currently uses paper forms and manual key entry.
With Scannable Office, form design is carried out using a module
called Form Publisher, which is integrated seamlessly within
Microsoft Word. This module provides quick icon access to commonly
used form creation elements, including check mark boxes, fill-in
bubbles, hand print recognition, machine print recognition,
bar codes, image capture and key entry zones. Options such as
yes/no responses, alphanumeric boxes and pre-formatted date
fields can be selected from drop-down menus.
Form Reader is the module within Scannable Office that scans,
processes and verifies all scannable objects on a form and then
places the data directly into Access or Excel. Indecipherable
hand print characters can be immediately presented on screen
for interactive user verification. At this point Scannable Office
has been designed to learn new character shapes and different
hand print styles so that, over time, recognition accuracy continually
improves and the need for manual verification decreases.
For users who prefer to create forms with third-party software
such as PageMaker, QuarkXPress or CorelDraw, the Template Maker
module ensures that forms can be read by Form Reader.
The Data Mapper module, driven by the Form Reader, automatically
creates a new database and maps all data fields into it. Invoked
separately, it can map individual fields into an existing Excel
spreadsheet or Access or other ODBC-compliant database.
Suitable for either batch or interactive operation, Scannable
Office supports Windows 95/98/2000/NT 4.0 operating systems
and any ISIS- or TWAIN-compliant scanner.
- ends -
23rd October 2000 - Ref. KE146/2
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